A recent survey of human resources professionals revealed that over 90% of in-house recruiters hired people from LinkedIn. Is it any wonder then that LinkedIn is now the go-to site for job seekers looking for their next great career? For many people, however, LinkedIn is confusing.

Finding Your Perfect Job With LinkedIn

So, here are my 10 best tips that I share with my LinkedIn coaching clients to get you on your way.

1. Optimize Your Profile

What kind of job do you want? Whatever you are seeking, make sure you put those keywords in your profile. Think about it…how does a hiring manager search for candidates? He puts in the job title he is looking for into the search box. So, make sure you have your desired job title in many places on your profile so you come up high in LinkedIn searches.

2. Use A Professional Photo

I’ve worked with many job candidates looking for executive positions who have a casual photo on their profile. To me, that is a big fail! Save those shots for Facebook. LinkedIn is a professional networking site and you want to look your best. Dress according to how much you want to get paid. If you understand this, then get a professional headshot down at your local photographer studio. A pleasant smile will also go a long way. No one wants to hire a sourpuss.

3. Fill Out Your Profile 100%

By completing your profile, you are 40 times more likely to come up in LinkedIn searches. Besides that, it shows that you are taking LinkedIn and your job search seriously. LinkedIn has prompts that show you how you are doing and what you need to do to get to 100%.

4. Grow Your Network

I can hear you saying, “But I don’t want to connect with people I don’t know!” Sorry Charlie. If that is your mantra, LinkedIn will become virtually useless to you. Most job seekers come to me with about 100 connections. That means you’ll have a network of about a quarter million, and just a fraction of the 200 million people can see your profile. Do you really want a new job? Start connecting with everyone and anyone.

5. Use Your Summary To Create An Ad

Your summary section in your profile is a great place to tell employers what you can do for them. Be sure to spell out all the benefits you bring to the workplace. How can you make them money? Save them money? Make them more efficient? Don’t be shy; tell them the benefit of hiring you.

6. Ask For What You Want

The summary is also a great place to spell out what and where you would like to work. Nobody can read your mind except David Copperfield… and he’s not hiring.

7. Support Your Profile With Recommendations

You might think that you’re the hottest candidate on the market right now. You’re the next Bill Gates or Marissa Mayer, right? Well, prove it by getting lots of great recommendations on your profile from first level connections you have worked with.

8. Network In Groups

You can join 50 groups on LinkedIn and I suggest you max that number out. Be strategic in your choices. You may love basket weaving, but put off joining that group till you find a job. For now, join 50 industry groups in the field you want to work so you can network with potential hiring managers.

9. Write To Hiring Managers

Do you see someone on LinkedIn you would like to work for? She’s ready to hire you right now. All you have to do is solve her biggest problem. Think about what vexes her, perplexes her, and keeps her up all night worrying. Write to her and ask her for 10 minutes on the phone so you can take all of her worries away. That could lead to an in-person interview where you can wow her.

10. Reach Out To Recruiters

The headhunters are out in droves on LinkedIn. Why wait until they find you? Write to them and ask if you can speak to them about your expertise and find out about the searches they are working on. They are on LinkedIn to meet the experts, so let them know about you.

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Dan ShermanDan Sherman is the McGraw Hill author of Maximum Success with LinkedIn – Dominate Your Market, Build a Global Brand and Create the Career of Your Dreams. For more information on his services, visit: www.linkedintoaction.com.